Rising Darkness, Burning Light
by Noble Paladin
Summary: Part 2 of the Force of Darkness, hear my cry saga! Now things really heat up, but can Yami and his friends fight against 4 enemies who control the city, and will they survive the coming War for New Paradigm?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Yep.

Well, after three years, over 300,000 words, various delays, original cards/characters and some rather bizarre events, we enter arc 2 of Force of Darkness, hear my cry. A long overdue second arc, but a very fun one indeed. It is here that the long-awaited War for New Paradigm shall take place, and the growing conflict between Yami, Hiei, Dartz, Naraku, and Vera shall come to an explosive head. The duels shall become more intense, and we'll get to see deeper into the mysteries that we didn't get to see on the shows, including a ground-shaking revelation that will change the course of the entire tournament. But there are many unanswered questions, particularly regarding the nature of New Paradigm: what secrets lie in the bowels of paradise? And who is the dark presence that is clouding Hiei's mind?

Well, only one way to find out.

And now, Noble Paladin presents…

**Rising Darkness, Burning Light**

Chapter 1: Where Doth the Demons Lie?

Streets of New Paradigm

He could not feel pain, he could not feel happiness, he could not feel exhaustion. In fact, for all intensive purposes he could not feel anything save for a deep and unerring sorrow. Like a slumbering beast it had been for so long, slowly but surely gnawing at the depths of his life and soul; every drop of blood spilt by him and those around him, the lives destroyed when he could not save the souls of the damned, the tears he had shed, they all added up to the meticulous deconstruction of his soul.

Where most men would have crumbled under the strain of all these constant abuses of the psyche, Yami had somehow been able to hold his head high and face the darkness of his soul. It wasn't a particularly special talent, but something he had simply adapted to take everything in. Essentially, Yami's psychological well-being was based on, and supported by, a general reflex, and even he could see the unhealthiness that could bring about, but most of the time he simply couldn't afford to try and fix it.

Ironic, isn't it, that saving the world left no time for saving oneself.

He had never noticed it before, and if he had he had simply disregarded it as stress or the trials of the times. But now it wasn't nearly that simple…and he knew exactly why that was.

_Kagome…_

He could not understand it, and he doubted that he ever would, but somehow the young and troubled miko had caused something inside him to snap, a lock he had somehow over the years kept strong and sturdy in the times of war. Death, ruin, misery, oblivion…it had forced him to lock away his heart and keep it from the world, and no one, not even Yugi, had gotten him to open it all the way. And somehow, from out of the clear blue sky, she had done it.

In all his journeys, hunting for the secrets to his mind, he had never been able to do what she had in only a matter of hours: open the secrets of his very soul. And for that reason alone he had to find her. She was the key, the path to salvation, the savior of his heart, mind, and spirit, and without her…

_No, I can't think about that now. I need to be strong for her, like she was for me._

His heart rate was probably going off the charts at this point, but he didn't care. His focus was not on the world around him anyway, only on a razor thin trail of dark magic he had been following for at least a quarter of a mile, one that he had recognized from long ago.

The aura had been that of a nearly extinct breed of demon whose real name was lost in the sands of time, but whose vernacular name was "shadowshifter". Millennia ago Yami had faced many of these demons in combat, and subsequently had slain all of them that had struck. To the best of his knowledge, however, the number of dead had accounted for most of the tribe, and the few that remained had been destroying themselves for years through horrific civil wars and internal politics.

That would mean, therefore, that this being was likely the last of the shadowshifters, a legendary ninja who had never been defeated…

_Akuren._

It was not any great surprise, really; he might have guessed that Hiei would, at some point, have drawn from such a sordid race as the shadowshifters. Like him they had no real sense of morality, but instead a psychotic depravity that often translated into acts of horrific violence…and now Kagome was in the hands of the worst of them.

_I have to hurry. Ra knows what he's doing to her…_

As such, Yami translated this desperation into an increase of speed, almost to the point that he felt he was not running at all.

As the trail continued on, Yami felt a certain unease creep into his heart. In all seriousness, this did not seem to be a very sound plan for him to take, as he was almost certain that a trap was involved somewhere. But the unease stemmed from something else as well, like an old instinct he had been able to suppress due to an overall lack of necessity for it over the preceding years. Still, it was _there_, and nothing he could do was making it vacate his mind…for the moment, anyway.

_Where could this trail be leading me? It's obviously a trap of some kind, considering who we're dealing with, but the problem is I don't know exactly what he intends to do._

Yami had his suspicions, however. If Akuren was, as he thought, working for Hiei in this attack, then there could be but one thing that this scheme definitely involved: a duel. And luckily, he was prepared for that, as the slight weight in his Duel Gauntlet implied. Still, exactly what sort of duel eluded him for the present time.

But he was ready to face Akuren or whoever else was sent against him, that much he knew for certain, because this time, the heart of his victory was no longer rhetoric. This time, his heart had a face…and a very pretty face at that.

Of course, even with his newfound inspiration, Yami was still subject to the normal sweeping up of emotions he had come to be used to, and as such the immature, bratty voice that suddenly popped up behind him almost caused him to lose his footing.

"HEY, WAIT FOR ME!"

Had the situation been any less dire, it was likely Yami would have noticed the conspicuous absence of Shippo's high-pitched semi-squeak without him screaming from several feet behind him, but then emotion often overtook logic anyway. Besides, if Yami had pegged the kitsune correctly, then the odds were he would have hid through most of the events that went on, so his unnoticed presence didn't shock him much anyway.

After a few moments, Shippo did indeed catch up to the Pharaoh, hence nullifying his previous demand. Nevertheless, this did not make the situation any easier for him; this was going to be a very dangerous battle to be involved in, and the last thing he needed was another potential hostage hanging around.

Without skipping a beat, Yami turned his head towards the fox demon, who was surprisingly agile for such a small and apparently cowardly creature.

"Shippo, go back to the hotel! This is too dangerous for you, and I need to focus completely if I'm going to rescue Kagome!"

These words were well-thought out, and anyone with reason would agree with them; however, Shippo wouldn't hear a word of it.

"No way, Yami! Kagome's my friend too, and I'm gonna find her! Besides, you're gonna need backup if you want to get her back!"

Powerful words from such a young demon, thought Yami, and very impressive at that. Even though his fear was apparent through the hazel eyes and the slight tremor in his voice, Shippo's strength of will overturned the fright and let him overcome his own inhibitions; he was somewhat like Yugi in that regard, though admittedly a lot more loud-mouthed.

Still, he could be of use. After all, if Kagome trusted the little fox, then so did Yami.

"We have to hurry. I'm not sure how much longer this trail will hold…"

And with that their rate increased, all the while unaware of what was going on near them…

Yusuke vs. Shinobu

_Ugh…what the hell just happened…?_

Yusuke Urameshi, for the better half of his life, had been vaguely aware that some things went beyond explanation, but as time had gone by he had also come to realize that most of it worked on a level beyond normal human comprehension. Even so, Yusuke had never been careful not to judge a situation involving powers beyond his understanding too quickly…especially when a fight was involved, in which case he'd shoot first and ask questions later.

This time, however, Yusuke felt as though what had just happened went beyond all possible explanation, a judgment he could quickly make without being too far off the mark.

In all fairness, he had little to no recollection of what had actually happened to him; the only things that stuck out particularly in his memory were images of a massive floating castle, an intricately carved Greek pedestal which appeared to have been used to hold massive statues and yet was empty, a flash of light from the center of this pedestal, a glowing sword, and oddly enough a quick flash of the Dark Magician Girl. Beyond that he only knew of a second flash of light and then his return to the exact same spot he had been in before…which was not exactly a good thing, as the Seal of Orichalcos still held him and Shinobu hostage.

This did not change the fact that something rather outside his knowledge and control had occurred, and he did not like it one bit.

_Damn it, figures that the one time I need a miracle is when I get some random visions in my head._

Still, Yusuke was no stranger to the mystical or even the divine, and his gut instincts were telling him that the visions had meant something, random as they were, and until he could be sure he'd work with that. But in any case, he had other pressing matters to attend to: namely, walking out of the duel in one piece.

"Alright, Shinobu, you ready to get your ass kicked, cuz I'm taking this thing out to the end!"

With a wicked smirk, Shinobu Sensui looked out onto his opponent's field, eyes flickering in a mixture of legitimate surprise and a sizeable level of contempt. He was not stupid, and could easily tell when an opponent was bluffing even when they had their best disguise ready, so with someone like Yusuke his lies and uncertainty stood out like the grease in his hair. He could tell for an absolute certainty that there was no way Yusuke would be able to win this duel; it was a perfect inevitability.

"Very well, Yusuke. If this is how you intend to conclude your tenure as Spirit Detective, then far be it from me to stop you. But know this much at least: whether you win or lose this duel, there is nothing you can do to stop the Orichalcos from taking one of our souls into the Leviathan. One of us will feed the beast, and one of us will contribute to the cleansing of the planet. So no matter what you do here today you will contribute to what you say you have opposed, and lead to the destruction of mankind as you know it."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard all this bullshit before, Shinobu, and I think exactly the same of it what I did before…that it's a total load."

"Hm. Then prove it to me."

For a brief second, Yusuke was tempted to respond in kind, but after a moment of thought opted against it. As much as his "holier than thou" attitude was pissing him off like nothing else, he also knew that he wouldn't be winning this duel in an ordinary fashion.

It would be his power, not his words, that would decide his fate today.

_Alright, it's time to focus. If I can draw some kind of monster, I could probably hold him off for a while, but I need something that can take him down for good. Ok, Heart of the Cards, let's see if you're any good…_

And riding on the hope of a good card and not much else, Yusuke drew out his final card…with astronomical results.

He could not be sure why or how, but for reasons unexplained there was an instant, almost overpowering spiritual aura that overcame him as he drew, an aura which he could pinpoint to the source but one he could not believe existed to begin with. It was similar to how he felt when first meeting Raizen, but this time he felt as if he was in control.

And the spike in power did not go unnoticed by Shinobu.

_What is happening? This aura I'm sensing…it's quite unlike anything Yusuke has ever used before. It doesn't even seem to be a part of this plane of existence…_

But it didn't matter. No matter what Yusuke drew, Shinobu was ready to destroy it; that was why he was here, and that was what he was going to do. He hadn't come all this way, made all those personalities, endured all those sleepless nights to fail now.

It was absolutely out of the question.

On Yusuke's end, the power itself had stabilized somewhat, and now that it had he could look at what card he had actually drawn. To say the least, it was not at all what he had expected.

_What the hell…this isn't one of my cards! But if it works, who am I to complain?_

To be honest, Yusuke was more than a little disturbed by the fact that he had drawn a Magic card that technically was never in his deck in the first place, and the fact that he had no real explanation made him wonder a bit. But then again, who was he to pass a good thing?

"Alright, let's end this! I'll start by setting one card face down…and now, I'll activate the last card in my hand!"

As Yusuke raised said card into the air, Shinobu felt a hundred separate chills run down his spine, as though the card Yusuke was about to use would be his death knell. No…no, it simply was not possible. He had the Seal of Orichalcos; what could possibly defeat that?

He had a particularly bad feeling he was about to find out.

"This is it! I activate the Magic card…_The Legendary Dragon, Wing of Xanatos!"_

The instant the last of those words left Yusuke's mouth, a shining ray of pure, untainted light burst from the card, blinding Shinobu completely and forcing his own monsters to cover their eyes. It was something that no one would ever believe even if they saw it for themselves.

And as for Yusuke…well, he was too focused on winning to really care.

"So let's see what this thing can do! I target my face-down Magic card, Tribute to the Doomed!"

With those words, a startling change overcame the light emanating from the card, for where once was formless energy now emerged a solid and magnificent beast, a great dragon whose scales shimmered with a beautiful pearly white sheen that seemed to refract the light which had not yet dissipated. The dragon's massive European wings were silver and caught the sunlight like a mirror, further illuminating the field and dulling the glow from the Seal of Orichalcos, while the somewhat Asian dragon head glistened with a trio of rubies built into the forehead. Hooked, serrated teeth shimmered with a crystal blue aura, while its silvery eyes glistened with both deep wisdom and a harsh willingness to fight for what it believed in. Claws, clear as diamond, caught even more of the light, and its tail, with iron-colored barbs running the length of it, hung at the ready.

Shinobu's surprise, at this point, knew no current bounds. He had heard of the Legendary Dragons before, as Dartz had warned all of them about the power that the Guardians of Atlantis had once held, but to the best of his knowledge there were only three such monsters.

Obviously, the best of his knowledge had not been good enough. But one thing he did know for certain was that whatever Yusuke had just used, it would have turned out very bad for him had he not had one last move, one more skill he could use…

But Yusuke did not really notice this, for at that moment the dragon was taking on a new form by absorbing the face down card Yusuke had just placed through its diamond claws. Even as both watched the great beast, its flesh began to become gangrenous in three straight lines down its back and around the base of its wings, while its eyes sunk deep into its head and gave it the impression of being a skull. The wings now took on the luster of bronze, and its diamond talons began to more resemble onyx. But most notably, the once glistening scales of Xanatos now took on a more corroded look, akin to tarnished silver.

"Hey, Shinobu, better wipe that blank chicken shit look off your face; my Embalmer Dragon doesn't like it very much." (2350/2200)

"Heh. You've gotten much better, Yusuke, but it doesn't matter because I've already won. All three of my Paladins are stronger than your lone monster, and like it or not I have the advantage. Just accept the facts, Yusuke; I've proven my point that your race is meant to be exterminated right here and now!"

"Actually, you're wrong. See, my Embalmer Dragon lets me pull a little trick with your monsters; since you've destroyed three of my monsters already, I'm allowed to destroy three of yours, and each time you destroy a monster the same thing'll happen. So let's see how it looks, shall we? Embalmer Dragon, wrap this up for us!"

With a silent nod to his master, the hideous dragon shot forth three streams of formaldehyde into the eyes of Shinobu's monsters, with effects that seemed to confirm what Yusuke had just said. Even as the blasts of embalming fluid struck each Paladin, their armor began to rust off of them, and blood started to flow from their eyes and mouths. The flames consuming Lumos' sword were extinguished, while the sword and shield he held were turned into shoddy pieces of metal, the latter smeared with molten opals. Spierel, unable to stand the pain, dropped both of his maces and could do nothing save watch them shatter. And as for Xellos, his once lustrous diamond mail cracked beneath the pressure of the fluids, and he dropped his bow in agony.

Within seconds after these events had taken place, the flesh of each warrior, which was by now so corroded that it would be nearly impossible to determine if it was flesh anyway, slowly, and with a sickening sliding noise, slipped off of the bones of the Paladins and crumbled to the ground, soon followed by the bones of the once grand soldiers of God, which were bleached white by the assault from the Embalmer Dragon. Truly a more gruesome sight would be hard to find…not that either one wanted to, to say the least.

But in spite of the rather disgusting fate of Shinobu's monsters, Yusuke was becoming quite excited. Finally, after all this time, he would be able to finish what he had started back in Spirit World, and even though it was in a battle of cards instead of a battle of fists…he could finally prove himself to be the better man.

"Hey, Shinobu! Looks like I finally got to beat you after all! Embalmer Dragon, attack his life points directly and end this!"

With a roar that sounded as though the dragon's esophagus was rotting out, the grisly beast hurled from its mouth what could only be a gelatinous glob of concentrated ether, which, had it been real, would have melted Shinobu's skin right off of him. As it stood, the attack would surely defeat the disgraced Spirit Detective and seal his fate in the process.

For the first time in a long while, Yusuke felt contented with how things had turned out. Shinobu, looking at how the situation had turned against him, could not say the same…for now, anyway.

"I'm sorry, Yusuke, but I can't let you beat me, not when I'm so close to defeating you and finishing what I came here to do! See, while you may have been able to destroy my Paladins, I still have one last ace up my sleeve. In fact…it was _because _you destroyed my Paladins that I could use this card! I activate the ability of my rarest card, which can only activate if all my monsters should be destroyed at once! If the effect is activated, I can summon this monster, my strongest monster, directly from my deck, so it's time to show you what real power is!"

And with such harrowing words, Shinobu's deck began to glow a vibrant white, dulling the Seal of Orichalcos and its ethereal glow by comparison, and from that glow emerged a slightly humanoid being that seemed to be made up of a sort of liquid glass, a material that seemed to be taking on a new form…a solid form.

"This is the end of this duel, Yusuke Urameshi. Now behold the end of all things, the keeper of the texts of the dead and the overseer of man's passing from this world. Behold… The Angel of Death-Azrael!"

At that instant, the nearly formless creature brought forward from Shinobu's deck suddenly took on life and hue, becoming a towering figure of a man at six feet and five inches tall. Draped in an open brown robe with silver armor beneath it, Azrael's face was cold and merciless, an expression hewn from years of overseeing the life and death of humanity, with pupiless white eyes that could still see all things. His dirty platinum hair reached down to his shoulders, and beneath each of his eyes were two horizontal scars, red and white respectively, that represented his connection to both life and death. On his back was a pair of brown angel wings, the edges of which were tipped in silver, and each of his hands had an item: the left held a large, leather bound book with a quill pen inside it, while the right held a giant spear that was about a foot taller than Azrael himself, with a shaft made of black-lacquered wood and a spearhead with three prongs, the centermost exceeding the others in length and surrounded by an aura of heavenly energy. (1500/1500) But once the Seal of Orichalcos appeared on his head, the angel of death took on a rather more sinister appearance. His silver armor became black, as did his flowing locks, whilst his angel wings wilted away and became mere skeletons of their former selves. His book turned gold, and his mighty spear was engulfed in flames black as the deepest night. And in a most shocking change, the scars on Azrael's face split open, giving the impression that he was crying tears of blood even as his already cruel face gained a look of deepest madness.

Truly, this was the form of a fallen angel. (2000/2000)

"This is where it ends, Yusuke. Since I am not one to lead my opponent into an unknown defeat, allow me to explain how Azrael functions. Whenever my Angel of Death attacks an opponent's monster, said monster is automatically destroyed before the battle starts, which would normally make little difference given that you have the opportunity to attack me. However, there is another aspect to my monster's power: should he be attacked by a monster with greater strength than him, then the monster will be removed from play and any damage calculation will be negated. In other words, my monster cannot be destroyed in battle, and you cannot defeat me unless you defeat Azrael!"

Shinobu's eyes were flaring in victorious adulation as he stared intently at the card that would allow him to finish what he had started so long ago. Finally, after all these years, after all the torment and sadness that had wracked his mind as a result of the shattering of his illusion…it would all end, here and now in the forgotten city of the clouds. Here, where men forgot all that had come before and cared not for what would come after, the destiny of the world would be carved from the blankness of the forgotten, and a new era would come about, with a perfect king and a perfect peace set into place.

_Dartz…I will finish what you started._

"It's over, Yusuke. Surrender to me, and I promise you won't feel a thing."

For a moment, Yusuke did not respond to Shinobu's offering, and in fact could not be seen to respond to anything. But after only a few moments, the more recent Spirit Detective began to shudder, his entire body trembling because of it.

It was almost sad to see how the once proud warrior was shaking in terror, but Shinobu knew that he had to end it.

"So do you surrender?"

There was no answer, only a continuing of the shuddering that now seemed to constitute some sort of seizure, and it was soon followed with a low, muffled sob; truly _this _was a sign of his bowing to Shinobu, or perhaps the pressure had finally caused him to crack under the pressure.

But as this sad, sad display continued, the sobbing also became louder, only for Shinobu to realize that it was not sobbing…but laughter. He wasn't crying, he was _laughing_! Even his shaking was only because of how hard he was laughing in the first place!

But when the laughter died, Yusuke was already talking, in a rarely serious voice, and was also staring directly into Shinobu's eyes with a determination like he had never seen before.

"My whole life, people have been telling me I'll never amount to anything. They'd look at my fights and my grades and they'd shoo me away, and whisper about how I'd die an early death. They'd pity my mom for having to live with me, and they'd ridicule my dad for leaving her with my burden. But none of it mattered, cuz I knew I had something to fight for; I didn't know what it was, and maybe I still don't know what it is, but there's something I have to do, something that's worth killing demons and wrangling with schizophrenics. I may not know what it is I fight for, but I can tell you something I do know: there are people out there who I care about, people I'd die for, and I am not gonna give up and let them down. I'll keep fighting for them, and I'll find what I'm looking for if I have to die a hundred times again! So you'd better shut your mouth and listen up…BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA GIVE MY SOUL TO A CRAZY ASSHOLE LIKE YOU, AND I SURE AS HELL AM NOT GONNA QUIT UNTIL I TAKE YOU DOWN!"

Shinobu, though it seemed as though his plans for an easy victory had just gone down the drain, could not help but smile. Such conviction, such strength of will…Yusuke was prepared to fight and die for what he believed in, for what he had just said was not merely pompous talk. Shinobu's successor was truly ready to step up and be a man, and nothing he could say or do could stop him this time. There was no Mazoku, no interference…this was simply a duel, a man to man battle to prove who was superior.

_Yusuke, you're a lot like I used to be…before all_ _this happened._

But impressive as it was, the DOOM Soldier could not let it stop him, and as he realized this his left fist clenched. He had a dream of his own, a goal he had set out for himself…and like Yusuke, he wouldn't let anything stop him now that he was so close.

"Well said, Yusuke. But all the words in the world could not change the fact that I still have the advantage; if you intend to defeat me, you'll have to get past Azrael first. So if you really think that you can defeat me…then attack me with everything you have, and we'll see whose dream shines brighter!"

Yusuke, with a nod, accepted Shinobu's offer. He knew that he was right; this was the final test, the proving ground to see if he was truly ready to fight for what he had lived for all these years.

There were no more words to be said, for all they had to say to each other had been spoken years ago. The time had come to end what had began in that cave so close to Armageddon.

The time had come for the final battle.

"Embalmer Dragon!"

With a gruesome roar, the dragon from beyond the grave opened its great maw, putrid chemicals pouring along its fangs.

"The Angel of Death - Azrael!"

The grandiose angel and keeper of the deaths of man lifted his spear to the sky, focusing the fires to the very tip of the spear.

In that final moment, on the borderline of life and death, both detectives stared at each other, eyes locking together in the last standoff. Though they said nothing, all they wanted to tell each other was spoken through that single glance.

And in the blink of each eye…

"ATTACK!"

There was no mercy to be had, nor was it wanted, and both monsters knew this, hence did they launch their mightiest attacks at one another: the Embalmer Dragon setting loose his sphere of destructive chemicals, and Azrael swinging his spear in a massive half-arc and hurling all of the dark power contained within it. Both attacks reached massive speeds as they soared through the empty air, and it seemed that nothing could stop them from reaching their intended targets.

But as it was, something would have to give…and indeed it did.

The arc of tainted divine energy could not be stopped by anything as simple as gelatinous embalming fluids, and as such it immediately sliced into the attack and rendered it useless, splattering what little was not destroyed by the power of the aura itself. Not even slowing down for an instant, the cruel arch of final damnation continued onwards towards its final target: the Embalmer Dragon.

It was over in an instant. In spite of its best efforts, the Dragon could do nothing to block the attack, and the destructive aura sliced into his left shoulder…and ripped his heart to pieces, spilling his blood all over the ground. With one final gasp of breath, the dragon vomited all the fluids he had once used as deadly weapons, and slumped to the ground, eyes glazed with the destruction of its soul.

Watching this happen, Shinobu could not help but smile at how easily it had all ended. After all his big talk, Yusuke was unable to emerge victorious from what he had claimed was a duel he could not afford to lose. Where was his determination, his spirit, his strength of will that had been the driving force behind his last battle? Had his years of exile made him so weak that all he had to him now were mere pomp and brash claims of power? Or perhaps he had been stupid and forgotten about Azrael's effect…

It didn't matter, though. He had won this match, and now all he had to do was end it.

"It seems that your will was the weaker of the two of us, Yusuke. For all your speeches, you could not best me in the most important duel of your life with your best attacks, and now I will finish the job that we began back in that cave."

Yusuke, once again, said nothing. He was staring blankly at his now empty field and hand, left with nothing but the shattered remains of his dreams and the smoldering corpse of his godsend. It had all gone to hell so fast, and now he was facing an eternal reminder of how he had been beaten. It was pathetic in Shinobu's eyes, and yet he did not laugh or snarl. Yusuke had fought valiently, and deserved some respect for it.

"Well, it seems as though you can do nothing else, Yusuke. Do you end your turn?"

For that instant, Yusuke considered all he could say at this point. He could crack a grin, he could cry like a baby, he could break down into a million pieces. But he would do nothing of the sort. This duel had been a test of honor…and he would end it with honor.

"No. It's time to end this."

"Good boy. So do you end your turn?"

And to Shinobu's shock, Yusuke's eyes flashed in one final burst of willpower.

"No…I end this duel."

With those startling words, Yusuke stood in his battle position and stared into Shinobu's dark, pitiful eyes. His will had not been extinguished; no, it had only become stronger.

"It's over, Shinobu. It's been a tough duel, but now I have to bring it to an end."

As he said this, the dragon that Azrael had slaughtered, the dragon Shinobu had removed from play, lifted his head wearily. The weight of it was almost too much for the dragon to bear, and yet somehow it was able to do so.

"What's going on! I destroyed that monster!"

"Yeah, you did, but you should've guessed he'd want vengeance. When you destroyed my Embalmer Dragon, you activated the effect of a monster in my deck called Shinigami, which can only use this effect if I'm left with nothing in my hand or on the field. If that's the case, then I can discard it from my deck and special summon one monster from my graveyard or the out of play pile. When he's summoned, he gets the ability to attack again…but this time, it's gonna go right after your sorry ass for a direct hit! So I'm calling on Embalmer Dragon to finish what he started!"

Yusuke, though his game face was on, could not help but grin now that he was so close. After all this time, he had proven himself the better detective, if not the better man, in the end. And now it was time to prove it.

There was a silence which gripped the field, a silence so absolute that no roar or squall would ever pierce it. Such was the way it would end, in silence purer than the soul of a saint. Two men, whose wills had clashed and conflicted in such a way that had never been seen before, nor would be seen again. Here, in the arena of souls that no man could defeat without the blessing of the gods…here it would end.

"Embalmer Dragon…attack his life points directly."

It was all the dragon needed to hear. With one final, blood-choked roar, the resurrected beast sent forth its final attack, a blast of spirtual energy fused with formaldyhyde that streaked through the air. But unlike the previous attack, Azrael - out of contempt for Shinobu, or perhaps out of acceptance of the inevitable - did nothing to prevent it. As such, the attack continued unhalted, searing the ground that it moved across…until it reached Shinobu.

The blast was catastrophic, an incredible explosion of light and sound which ripped at the eardrums and blinded the eyes, so much so that even Azrael shielded both. Never in his life had Yusuke seen such a duel effect used as it was, and unless he got to see Osiris in action he doubted he ever would again. In a strange sort of way, it was beautiful; he had finally beaten Shinobu and reclaimed his honor. He could walk the streets with one less nagging thought in his head, and maybe now he could focus on more important things.

And yet…

After about a minute, the smoke from the attack cleared, and when it did, there was nothing but the two warriors, standing across from each other in an arena of most certain doom, one that would now seal the fate of the very man that used it. The dragons, knights, spirits, and angels…they were all gone, leaving their masters behind to bear the burdens they had brought into the match, and also to let one man release the burdens he had held for years beforehand. (Yusuke: 800/Shinobu: 0)

"Well, aren't you going to say something like, 'This isn't over, Detective' or 'I will be avenged' or some crap like that?"

Yusuke's words, sharp as they were, concealed a sort of tragic feeling in his head. Sure, Shinobu and his personalities were deranged lunatics, and maybe they had this coming, but did they really deserve to lose their souls?

Even as he said this, the Seal of Orichalcos had begun to contract on Shinobu, who in his turn did nothing to fight it. He had used the Seal for some time, and he knew that nothing, not even his Sacred Energy, would let him escape. He had accepted his fate, and would take that as some kind of comfort.

"No, Yusuke. All the words have been exhausted, and there's nothing more to say…except…"

There was nothing either of them could do. They knew this, they hated this, but were forced to accept this anyway.

"…well done."

Those were the last words…before Shinobu, Kazuya, Sensui, and all the others were trapped in the Seal of Orichalcos. They did not scream, cry out, or struggle at all; they just…allowed it, as if it was fated to happen. All they did was look at Yusuke, staring as they were dragged from body to card as if nothing was unusual about it at all.

Yusuke, a man who had watched so much blood and death, turned his eyes away at the horror of it all. Was this the price paid by servants of the Orichalcos, having their eternal soul trapped in limbo until the end came?

Even as the last bits of their souls fell away, leaving nothing left of Shinobu Sensui and his deluded dreams, the embodiment of the Angel of Death, and a glistening golden key, Yusuke could not help but feel the weight upon him. But he would not buckle under it. He would stand tall, and prove that he truly deserved this victory.

_Yami, Yugi, Keiko…I won't give up. I'll fight these guys to the end, even if I have to walk the road to hell to do it._

It was a vow he would keep, and with a new card, the final key, and a strong will, he was ready to bear the pressure. He would prove that he was strong, not for others, but for himself.

He would win this tournament, and he'd make sure that he'd finish what Botan had made him start.

Industrial Area, Abandoned Factory

"So is everything set up for this plan of yours?"

Akuren had, for many years, dealt with clients of unusual or questionable states of mind, and had oftentimes had to adapt a sort of suspension of disbelief as to how they would work. But in the case he was dealing with now, he had to admit that it was a little ridiculous.

Streams of shadows were spiraling around the place, blocking out any sights or smells not present in the Shadow Realm, while monstrous beasts lurked away in the shadows of the nightmare. Life, death and eternity were condensed into a maddening spiral of insanity which no one save a select few could endure, and it all came together with both clarity and dementia.

For Akuren, it was repulsive, but for those that lived here it was a canvas…and for this particular beast, it was the foundation for his masterpiece.

"I suggest you hold your toungue…unless you wish to suffer the same fate…as Kachikachi."

The demon's ragged breath, choked with bile and phlegm, almost caused the demon ninja to choke on his own vomit, but he held it down anyway. Much as he hated to admit it, this raggedy bastard held more power here than he did.

"So, Akuren, Missing-Nin of the Citadel of Chaos…has everything gone…as I outlined it to?"

"Exactly. That wretched monarch and his pet fox are searching the city, following my trail of dark powers right to this spot. But if I may speak frankly, we could just butcher him using my ninjutsu…"

"No…we must make him suffer…the Pharaoh…he will know the pain of loss again…and I will know the pleasure of vengeance. Nothing can stop me now…now that my plan has come into its own."

The old fool, thought Akuren as he monitered the shadow magic concentration outside the factory. Didn't he realize that such tricks and illusions could never be as strong as simple death? Naraku made the same mistakes, after all…

But no. If _he_ was to come into his own, he would have to cement his loyalty to the Darkness…and defeat the Light. Only then would the Six Points of Anubis align in the proper coordination…to release the beast that Akuren would follow to heaven and hell.

"Very well, then. Should I stick around and watch?"

"Yes, that would be preferable…I will need your power if something should go wrong…"

The demon smiled to himself at this. Though he had said it, he knew nothing would go wrong. No matter how hellbent Akuren was on restoring the Six Points of Anubis, it would not matter, for all he had worked for all these years would finally come to be.

_Soon, my Pharaoh…soon you will pay for what you did to me…in blood…and tears…_

"Akuren…raise her up."

Listening to Akuren do as he was told, the monstrous demon continued to work his magic and set up the arena. All had gone as expected, and now all he had to do was draw the Pharaoh into his web.

_And what better bait…then his reincarnated lover?_

To Be Continued

Wow, awesome first chapter, methinks. But then, it could use some work, so let me know if there's anything specific.

Anyway, next chapter will end Enzeru and Kaiba's duels, and the mysterious demon will be unveiled. But what are the Six Points of Anubis, and why does Akuren focus on them so? What secrets are being hidden? And what is the truth behind the darkness in Hiei's heart?

Be sure to check it out, in chapter 2 of…Rising Darkness, Burning Light!

P.S. to Black Death: I forgot Azrael's effect, so I had to adapt it. (It's his!)


	2. A Bloodstained Dawn

Disclaimer: Like the bill at a restaurant, it ain't mine.

Anyway, the first chapter of Part 2 of the Force of Darkness, hear my cry saga had some very important aspects. First off, it intro'd the beginning of a very well laid out trap by Hiei's ghostly servant, which Yami is chasing into at this moment. Also, Yusuke ended his climactic duel with Shinobu Sensui, putting an end to the fight once and for all.

Chapter 2 speeds things up, as Enzeru prepares to demolish Bankotsu, whilst Yami attempts to find Kagome. But what secrets lie in the shadows of New Paradigm, and in Yami's own heart?

Chapter 2: A Bloodstained Dawn

Bankotsu vs. Enzeru

"It looks like you've just about had it, Guardian of Chaos, though I have to admit you put up a good fight."

With a look of outright horror blanching his expression, Enzeru beheld the latest activation in Bankotsu's lineup…and from what he had heard of the card it was likely to be the worst. Blader Baptismal had not been a card completely unknown to him, but insofar as he could tell noone had actually been able to obtain it or use it effectively…though he imagined that was about to end.

What stood behind the mercenary's army was essentially a marble fountain of similar design to that of Enzeru's; the chief difference was that the Blader Baptismal was hewn of black marble, and thick blood flowed in lieu of water. And even as they watched each of the Blader soldiers obtained a strange mark upon their head, a single red tomoe sign moving in a counterclockwise motion.

"I don't like playing too many Continuous Magic cards, Guardian; they hold up the field and prevent me from using my stronger combos. But for Blader Baptism I make an exception. You see, when I activate this card, the first thing it does is negate any and all Equipped items in play that do not result from the Baptism, your Counters included." With that said, the Magic counters still in play were shattered, sending their glittering fragments back to the Fount from which they came.

"Heh. It doesn't get much better for you. After destroying every Equip on the field, the Blader Baptism grants each of my monsters with Blader in their name an Anointment Mark, and at the standby phase of each of my turns they will get another one. And these Anointment Counters have very interesting effects of their own. In fact, what do you say we see one of them now? Escort Blader, attack and destroy his Guardian of Time!"

With a hearty roar, the Blader warrior charged against Enzeru's timekeeper and swung his warhammer so that it would collide with the Guardian's skull. But Enzeru made a motion of his own.

"I chain your attack with the effect of my Time of Peace Magic card, and as it is not a monster it is immune to your Baptism's effect. By discarding the turn counter I have placed on it I can negate your attack."

But even as the silver shield of the Time of Peace card activated, Bankotsu grinned in his own sick way. "I'm afraid that's not going to be enough, Guardian, or have you forgotten the effect of my Blader Baptism's counter? By discarding one card from the top of my deck I can negate the chaining of a card towards my Blader's attack, shutting down your little peace."

At that moment, the red tomoe began spinning wildly around the Escort's head, causing the shield to crack and shatter as the Guardian was decapitated by his hammer. (Enzeru: 5150/ Bankotsu: 1100)

"And it only gets worse from there. You see, the card I discarded from my deck was a monster, so I am allowed to activate the Quick-Play Magic card, Journey from Hell to the Grave, and revive him from the graveyard in my battle phase. And the monster I have chosen is none other than the Blader Mystic, who gains 500 attack points for each Magic card in play!" In an empty monster zone now emerged a new soldier, a wraith-like blader with blackish-gray armor and a massive stave with what looked like a chainsaw built into the top, which glowed with fresh power. (1500 + 1500 3000/1500)

"And since it's still my battle, this new monster can go for the throat! Blader Mystic, attack his life points directly!"

Enzeru's eyes narrowed as the deadly mage hurled his staff into his chest, causing him incredible pain as the saw's hologram ripped into his flesh and returned to its deranged master. (Enzeru: 2150/ Bankotsu: 1100) The situation had taken a sudden, horrific turn for the worst; only one turn ago he had been in complete control, but now…

"You're lucky that Buster Blader can't attack right now; heh, come to think of it I'm pretty lucky too. This would be no fun if it ended that quickly. Anyway, I'll just set a card face down and end my turn. And that reminds me, when I end my turn, I'm allowed to place a second Baptism Counter on my monsters, so good luck dealing with that."

As Enzeru watched yet another counter get added, he looked calmly towards his own hand and closed his eyes. Whether through previous knowledge through Hiei, or some trick of circumstance, Bankotsu had effectively shut down his counters, as each one would be destroyed before they could even resolve themselves…

The Guardian sighed to himself. He had hoped that it would not come to this.

"My draw, mercenary." _Perfect. This could just play into my plan if I play this right. _"I activate the Magic card, The Flickering of Time, which allows me to discard my hand and draw cards equal to the level of a monster destroyed in my last turn."

Enzeru, with a fresh hand and plan prepared, viewed Bankotsu with cold exactness. "I am sorry, leader of the Band of Seven, but this is where I must end this duel. I will set one monster, and a card, to end my turn."

Bankotsu's eyes widened. Had he heard him right? Had that been his big move?

"I don't know what you're planning, Guardian, but I'm starting to agree with you. We should wrap this up right here and now, so I'll activate my face down Magic card, Rapid-Fire Baptismal! When this card is activated, I can equip all monsters in play with one more Baptism token, and at the same time, all monsters on my side of the field, even those summoned after the fact, gain 1000 attack points. However, at the end of the turn I must pay 500 life points in offering." As he said this, each of the monsters gained a new counter.

"But that does not mean a thing…now that three monsters on my side of the field have three Baptism counters…I can sacrifice them and summon my strongest Blader! I sacrifice Blader Baptism, Buster Blader, Escort Blader, and Blader Mystic to summon Bishamonten, the Blader God!"

The Blader Baptism, once a calm and tranquil pool, now overflowed with fresh, crimson blood, spilling over each of the sacrificed monsters and swallowing them whole. The vortex of fresh ichor surged and splashed about, staining the entire field, and even Enzeru's fountain was not untainted.

But soon the storm ended, and in its place was a massive soldier, far greater than any of the others played so far. Towering over twenty feet above any other card in play, Bishamonten was a hulking beast of a warrior, enormous muscles bound beneath bright gold and silver armor. Emblazoned on the armor were various images of sunrise, war, and sunset, and crowning its Buster Blader-like helm was an emblem of the moon and sun. (4300/2000)

"Not too shabby for three monsters lost, eh? And it only gets better. See, when Bishamonten is summoned, not only do I get to draw two cards, but if one of them is a monster I can discard it to add half of its attack points to him! And don't forget Rapid-Fire Baptismal!" With a grim smirk, Bankotsu revealed the monster in question to be Blader King, a monster with 3400 attack points. (4300 + 1700 + 1000 7000/2000)

"And now, to finish you off. I equip Bishamonten with Big Bang Shot, increasing his attack by 400 points, and allowing him to deal damage to your lifepoints through any defense!" (7400/2000) "Now, Bishamonten, attack his face down monster with Godbreaker!"

Emitting a horrific war cry, the hulking beast leapt forward with astounding speed, aided by his Big Bang Shot equip, and swung his weapon, a mighty diamond claymore twice his height, upon the defense that Enzeru had built.

"Bye-bye."

But as the smoke cleared, Bankotsu realized that something was wrong; where there had been one single defense monster now stood four…and where a bested Enzeru should have stood was instead a surviving one. (Enzeru: 4300/ Bankotsu: 1100)

"I did not speak out of arrogance before, mercenary: there is no way you can defeat me. Only one will have that honor."

"Wha…what the hell?!"

"The monster you destroyed was called Atom Magician, and when he is destroyed I am allowed to summon four monsters: Electron Sorcerer, Proton Sorcerer, Neutron Sorcerer, and Quasar Sorcerer, to take his place. And as for how I managed to escape your damage, I activated a trap known as Time is My Enemy; should my life points drop to zero, I am allowed to increase my life points by a number equal to the total attack points of all monsters in my graveyard."

Bankotsu shivered, his eyes widening. _There's no way…no way he could… _(Enzeru: 4300/Bankotsu: 600)

"It's my turn."

With a shudder, Enzeru drew his final card. "This is your defeat, Bankotsu. I sacrifice my Neutron Magician to summon Time Mage to the field in attack mode!"

The small mage vanished with a flicker and a silver glow, to be replaced by a new, stronger spellcaster. Clad in bright silver armor with flowing white robes, the mage was equipped with a stave of solid crystal which glowed with the power of the Tower of Time, whose cerulean hue matched that of his left eye; the right was a deep hazel. (2400 + 600 3000/2500)

"And now, for the end. I activate Monster Reborn to revive Guardian of Time, and upon resurrecting him I will add two of the counters my Fountain of Dreams gained last turn to Time Mage."

"And what do you plan to do with those?!"

"Simple: I will activate Time Mage's effect: remove these two counters to remove one of your monsters from play, so long as Guardian of Time is alongside him!"

Placing their hands equate distances from each other, the twin mages began mumbling in a deep, sonorous Latin, swirling the ancient mystic energies of their order between them into a glowing sphere of silver and purple, which was then sent to hover above Bishamonten.

The attack did not kill the Blader God in the traditional sense; no, such brutal forms of combat were beneath these masters of time. But the result came about all the same, for even as the energy swirled above him Bishamonten began to collapse and weaken, even as his armor rusted and corroded, until eventually both crumbled into the eternal dust.

Enzeru's expression did not change once as he stared at the defeated monster, or his new target. "Time Mage, attack Bankotsu directly." _You cannot defeat me, Bankotsu. Those bound by time cannot defeat me…only those who are unbound- the Timeless -only THEY will be able to defeat me._

The powerful wizard, with the same impassive look as Enzeru, gathered an orb of time energy in his hand, even as Bankotsu's dead eyes flared up, his fist clenching white. But none of his stares would stop what was coming, and thus his hate was useless against the sudden flash of light that blinded the field…

And when it was over, only Enzeru remained to count the tithings. (Enzeru: 4300/ Bankotsu: 0)

_So, Hiei still has a use for this one yet. Perhaps we will meet again._

Enzeru did not care to pick up the discarded key or card; they had never been his targets. Now that Bankotsu was gone, his only true interest in the duel had faded completely.

_Still, the match was not without success. At the least, I now know where things stand._

Enzeru's eyes closed as he walked away, to begin his hunt fresh. _Be cautious, Pharaoh. Of all of us, you are the least likely to be defeated, but if what I have learned is right…_

…_then you have the most to lose if someone does._

………………………………...

New Paradigm Warehouse District

"That's the last of them…"

Yami's hand reached out to the warehouse wall, stabilizing his body if nothing else, as Shippo simply plopped to the concrete.

"Yami, we've been through every one of these warehouses! Are you sure that the shadow trail led you here?"

"Yes, Shippo. Of that much I am certain."

It had been an exhausting chase for the both of them, taking the Pharaoh and the fox across several miles of steel, concrete, and bleached billboards, tracking the thin trail of shadow material left in Akuren's wake. For over an hour they had traced the path, searching through alleys, bars, and slums, until finally arriving at a bleak warehouse compound at the edge of any livable conditions. Every warehouse looked to be the same dull shade of cement and metal, and there were dozens to be searched over that square mile of storage.

The images were starting to bleed into Yami's head now as he stood exhausted. The warehouses, the hotel…Kagome…it was all blending into one great blur that drew him in so tightly…

"We need to keep looking."

Yami staggered upwards once again, but immediately collapsed to the ground as he did so, his eyes starting to cloud.

_Kagome…_

"Yami, hurry up!"

His vision swam sickeningly in his head as the concrete changed to grass, the warehouses to palm trees, and the bleak sky into a beautiful blue heaven. A river flowed, just out of his vision, but he could hear it mumbling in its own tongue. Birds sang, and strange aromas filled his nostrils…

"Yami, come on!"

His eyes landed upon a kneeling figure, short, but taller than him, and slightly less thin, though still quite shapely. Her back was turned to him, but he could see she was dressed in an old school uniform, her sable hair streaming across her back…

"Yami…Yami…"

Her angelic voice called to him…he reached out…

"YAMI!!! WAKE UP!!!"

A high-pitched scream broke into his thoughts, and the illusion shattered. He was still at the warehouse district, his eyes tearing up and blinding him from that fact, with a concerned Shippo shaking him.

"Yami, you have to get a grip! There's this warehouse not far from here with a weird aura around it. That may be what we've been looking for."

Yami struggled to stand, his eyes cloudy but determined at this news. He had loved the illusion, though…

Once more he collapsed.

"Yami, you have got to stay with me! I can't defend you if Akuren or someone else comes to kill you, and you're already marked to die!"

The broken Game King only gurgled a response. His eyes were slowly dying…

"Yami, listen to me! If you don't save Kagome, who will? I don't have the power to do it myself; noone in this city does! She has to still be alive; otherwise Akuren would've gutted her then and there! You can't give up now, you can't! But if you won't stand…"

Shippo audibly gulped, the fear of what he was about to say invading his soul.

"…then I'll do it. I may not be able to, but at least I'll try to."

The little fox turned his back on Yami, cautiously treading forward into the steel and cement. His knees trembled, but his hands and eyes were calmer than they had ever been.

Yami, staring as the fox went onward to certain death, could feel something stir in him, but not enough to stir his flesh. _It's too much…the burden is too much for me…the burden…of destiny…Kagome…_

He could still smell her, feel the warmth of her body pressed against him, hear the delicate whisper of her voice against his ear…

A tear escaped his control, and others followed. For the first time in his life, Yami felt…empty. Truly, truly empty.

_Destiny…what is my destiny? All I have believed was a lie…and all that I now believe is taken. Did it mean anything? Did…**I** mean anything? _

Destiny…that single damnation upon his soul. That single constant hell he endured…

_What is my destiny…?_

And as though struck by lightning, Yami's eyes flashed upwards.

That was it, he realized. His destiny…that was it!

The once bleak eyes fired up again, and with a hearty laugh the Pharaoh stood once more.

"Shippo! Show me the warehouse!"

With shock, the demon turned back to face his king, confused, but not complaining.

"Alright…but what just happened to you?"

"A simple revelation, nothing more."

With that said, the two continued on, walking for another ten minutes until at last they reached the warehouse. Compared to the others it was massive, towering a full eight stories above them, and absolutely lifeless as far as they could tell.

But one thing Yami could tell for certain…the entire warehouse was covered in an aura of darkness, far beyond his understanding…but well within his memory.

His eyes closed only for a moment…and when he opened them again his eyes and voice were soft. "Shippo…stay out here. I know you do not like this, but this is a battle I must fight on my own. Kagome's life is already in danger, and I will not endanger you any further."

Shippo opened his mouth to protest, but seeing the look in Yami's eyes quieted him. "Alright. But Yami…don't lose."

"I do not plan to lose."

And with those words, Yami no Yuugi, eyes open at the last, forced open the doors to face the darkness within.

The Pharaoh, despite his bold words, was cautious upon entering the warehouse; the shadows hid many secrets, he knew, and he also knew that his situation had not gotten better with them. But what the shadows hid his other senses could discern; though he was not certain of much in this warehouse, he did notice that there was a heavy odor of half-molten metal in the air...as well as the bizarre scent of blood…

Beyond that, however, he could sense an aura of darkness, deep in the warehouse, that was far different from that of Akuren's. Whereas Akuren had possessed a violent aura befitting his personality, this new presence was more subtle, somehow more wicked than anything Akuren had produced.

And whatever had caused it, the aura was causing his skin to crawl in a way that the shadowshifter had failed to do.

Tentatively, Yami reached out with his mind past the darkness, attempting to detect Kagome in some form or other, but with each attempt he was rejected. At first the Pharaoh despaired at this, wondering if he had been wrong to follow the ninja. Had he misjudged Akuren, and was Kagome really…?

But then, like the dropping of a pebble in a great cave, Yami sensed it: a wiff of lilac aura, just barely sensed in the shadows.

"Kagome, where are you?!"

No answer, but it was as well as he expected. He had guessed Akuren would have drugged her to silence her from making commotion. But at the least he had a basic idea of where she was.

Caution was less evident in his steps as Yami quickly walked towards the aura. Dark though the warehouse was Yami could navigate his way through it to some extent thanks to his own years in the blackness. Nevertheless his eyes were wary, for fear of what lay beyond them.

After what seemed like an eternity Yami traced the aura to its source, a small alcove built into the far side of the warehouse. Though his eyes were blind, Yami could see the aura pouring outwards, and he knew that it could not be a trick as the aura was too precise to be replicated.

Caution gripping him again, the spirit of the Puzzle reached out his hand…he could feel the auras mingling…a warmth was drawing closer…

"Kagome?"

In that instant, something snapped, and Yami could feel the aura swiftly move up and away from him, a movement accompanied by the swift sound of retreating chains, as though something was being dragged up. At the same time, Yami was forced backwards by an invisible influence, even as a heavy set of shackles materialize around his legs, binding him and preventing his movement.

"Kagome!!!!"

So it had been a trap. Yami had counted on this, but he had not expected it to be so swiftly executed. Nevertheless the Pharaoh began beating at the chains with his hands; with any luck he could escape and see exactly what was going on…

A horrible chill ran up his spine unbidden, as if the cold finger of death had stroked his back.

_What was that? It bears some similarities to the aura I sensed earlier, but this is more…concentrated…_

Sweat, cold as ice, broke out upon his brow as he felt the aura gather and focus itself. It was from the Shadow Realm, one of its deeper regions, but it was unlike any aura he had felt before. It was sinister…almost angry, and as it gathered a putrid green light began to emerge in the warehouse.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!"

Silence was his only answer, though the Pharaoh could detect a horrible spike in the presence that now gripped his mind.

"Answer me, demon! If Hiei sent you, I demand you to reveal yourself!"

The nightmarish silence continued, and it was soon after that Yami realized why the aura had been growing stronger. The vile illumination did not light much, but it did allow him to see that a thick, purple gas had formed a dome all about them…

…the dome of an A-Rank Shadow Game.

"Heh heh heh heh. Your bombast…has not lost its edge…my Pharaoh…"

The voice that spoke now was far beyond anything in Yami's experience. While the voice had a severe gurgling element to it, as if the speaker was inches from vomiting fresh blood, and heavy wheezes interrupted every few words, there was nevertheless a terrible sinister aspect hidden not far beneath it. The voice alone shook Yami to his very heart of hearts, and fear gripped his spirit.

Turning as far as he could, Yami screamed out, though his own voice was far from steady. "S…show yourself! Who are you, and what have you done with Kagome?!"

The voice offered a gruesome laugh, intertwined with several fits of hacking coughs that echoed in the infinite shadow. "Heh heh heh…Come now…Atem. It has…only been 5000 years…surely you could not have forgotten me…when you already remember so much? But then…your memory…was not…what it once. If it was…surely you would see… the full scope…of our situation?"

Yami could see nothing for a moment, but before his eyes a line of that sickly light had appeared in the darkness.

"Memory…wait, did you see…?"

The unknown being chuckled. "I have…much free time…in my purgatory, Atem. Many long years…to watch the Shadow Games…of others. Did you not think…that I would not witness…that debacle of a duel…between the miko…and the lunatic spirit? To say the least…it was…enjoyable…though I wish…both could have lost…"

A wicked clawed hand emerged from the line, withered and strained, but what species it was could not be told as it was covered in rusty armor. And soon the rest of the being followed: contained in thick, chitinous armor of the same corroded metal as the hand, the new being stood a foot beneath Yami's height, and yet was hunched over, as if inside was a frail creature who could barel stand under his own weight, let alone that of his raiments.

"Pharaoh…at the last…we meet again…and yet…you have forgotten…everything. How sad…that you fought…for your memories…only to recall…those which were…of the least…importance."

Yami's amethyst eyes cringed in horror of what he beheld, but moreso of what the beast before him spoke of. _He knows so much of me…it's as if he has been watching me the entire time._

Yami did not dare believe it, but after what Yami no Marik had said…he had to be certain.

"Who are you?! What is your name, and how do you know me?!"

"My name…" The monster retched and hacked before continuing. "My name…means nothing…not anymore…and as for who I am…if you do not…remember me now…then you will soon…very soon…if you…are so lucky."

The demon outstretched his grisly arm, and from it sprouted a horrible Duel Disk, fashioned in the shape of a hideous mantis wing, as a beetle-like central component was attached to it.

Yami, for the first time in his life, could say nothing. For the first time, he was truly, legitimately…terrified.

"But for now…you may call me…Baalzebub."

To Be Continued

OH YEAH!!! Who's BACK?!!!

(I know it's different from my other chaps, but I'm experimenting with different writing styles.)

Anyway, next chap begins the duel between Yami and Baalzebub, and heats up the Kaiba and Joey duels. But what kind of evil is Hiei planning, what is his war, and what memories lie unbidden in Yami's mind?

Check it out…next chapter!


	3. Past and Present, Part 1: Destined Eyes

Disclaimer: What's funny is that I don't even own most of the OC's.

Anyway, for those of you still keeping track of my very, very belated story, the last chapter presented the end of Bankotsu vs. Enzeru, and I know someone will be happy about the result. It also revealed the identity of Hiei's latest servant: Baalzebub of the Shadow Realm.

Chapter 3 will continue the plot, as Yami and Baalzebub square off; but what does this mysterious beast have to do with the Pharaoh? At the same time, Kaiba and Mukotsu dance the brutal dance, but what about Hiei's War?

Chapter 3: Past and Present, Part 1: The Eyes of Destiny

Warehouse

"Baalzebub…?"

The hideous monster, wheezing as if years of sickness had gripped him by the soul, scuttled towards Yami, his grisly, unseen eyes boring into him. Such a monster was this…and yet Yami could not help a strange feeling regarding him.

"So you really have forgotten me…which means that you must have forgotten everything else…attached to me. Once again, Atem…your foresight has only gone so far…and that above all will be your damnation here."

Baalzebub's eyes twinkled, a brief flicker in the darkness, as he stroked his armored chin, but as he did so Yami could see an unusual flutter in his fingers and a wincing in his eyes…as if the monster's own touch was vile to even himself. Nevertheless, the Pharaoh locked into those grotesque orbs of hatred, holding them with his own stony gaze.

"What is it that you want, Baalzebub?"

The decrepit shadow monster inhaled deeply and chuckled, as both noises caused a sickly chill to run the length of the Pharaoh's spine. "Still bloating your words with meaningless confidence…after all this time. And yet even after all this time, none of that confidence…has reached your eyes. But I digress."

Yami's eyes narrowed as he regarded this loathsome creature; whoever he claimed to be, it was unlikely that he was connected to his past at all…unless Yami no Marik had not been lying…

The decrepit demon hobbled forward, occasionally coughing up a small pool of blood to the ground, and lifted his Duel Disk upwards. "Akuren…you may leave this place. I have no desire…for anyone to know…what will go on here."

Stepping out from the darkness, the shinobi's blood-red eyes went wide at the harshly-delivered command, and with a flick of his wrist he had extracted a blade of his own. "I can't leave quite yet; as long as Hiei has a stake in this duel I will remain to inform him of the results."

Baalzebub's tone did not change, even in the slightest, as he shifted his gaze upon Akuren directly. "I have told you, Akuren…no one, save me and the Pharaoh…is to know what goes on here. I will inform you of the result…_after_ the duel is finished."

"Perhaps you have failed to listen. Vile as it may be I am Hiei's eyes and ears in the darkness, and as such I am meant to carry his victories from it."

"And perhaps you… have failed to listen yourself. This duel is not Hiei's…it never was. I am the one who is dueling the Pharaoh…and I am the one who shall kill him. Therefore I need not suffer some shadowshifting exile…and his empty threats."

A sharp intake of breath tore the air, and Yami could see the dark aura that had surrounded Akuren turn into something else entirely: a pulsing, tearing, vibrant red. His entire body was trembling from cap to toe, and hands became like to vices.

"That was your last mistake, necromancer."

The movement was so fast that not even Yami's eyes could track it; Akuren had flickered directly behind the aged demon, knife held high above his armored skull. With a flash it zipped down…

…and vanished just as quickly, along with the demon who had wielded it.

"He shall bother us no more…and when he is returned to Hiei he will learn respect…not that it will matter to me. But now, it is time for us…to begin."

Baalzebub's arm snapped upwards, and with a flick of his fingers the purple mists were blown away, to reveal a simply arena of dully glowing black metal, or something akin to metal. It was an unusual change of pace in that, for the first time, Yami was not bound or beneath any sort of binding spell at all.

"No attempts to seal me in the game, then? You would be the first."

"Heh. Rest assured, Atem, I am the first…and will be the last as well. For even if you do survive…it will be a life more hellish…than you can possibly imagine."

"We'll see about that. So, what are the odds of this game?"

The necromancer's breath caught in his throat for a moment, but upon recovering he locked the Pharaoh once again in his blasphemous gaze. "It shall be a simple duel, nothing more; your body, mind and soul shall remain the same throughout the match…but whether they stay thus depends on your victory here."

The Pharaoh snorted in rage at this comment. He had been around enough Shadow Games and the people who used them to know that such duels were anything but simple, meaning Baalzebub was simply toying with him for reasons he could not yet see. But more important than that was the simple fact that he _had _no real idea what Baalzebub was after; he had mentioned something vague about revenge and some sort of involvement in his past, but had said little else beyond this. As usual, the King of Games was left in the darkness...and as usual, it was the very last place he wanted to end up in.

But perhaps there was a way he could obtain the answers from Baalzebub himself…and it was, at the moment, the only real idea that made sense to him.

"So…shall we begin?"

There was nothing left to say; they had both danced this dance before.

"DUEL!!!" (Yami: 4000/Baalzebub: 4000)

With a quick glance at his hand, Yami could tell that his situation was already somewhat in his favor; the cards he had gotten would assure him, to some respect, of an early lead.

"I will begin by setting two cards face down, followed by the summon of Gamma, the Magnet Warrior, in attack mode!"

Following the appearance of two face down cards emerged the summoning of a strange creature, a robotic beast with a spherical body, cable-like arms, a thin head, and what appeared to be a horseshoe magnet around its neck. Attached to its back were two mechanical angel wings. (1500/1800)

"That will be all for now, Baalzebub." _I can't make any large moves too early; having never dueled Baalzebub before, I need to make certain as to what his strategy is before I do anything._

"Playing it safe even in a Shadow Game, Pharaoh? Truly your time in this world has had an…interesting effect on you. But your caution will not avail you…not against me." Baalzebub's motions of drawing were smooth and fluid, showing an unusual amount of reserve in the process.

"Heh. I shall set three cards face down…and summon the Scarab's Fiend in attack mode."

Before Baalzebub appeared his own first monster, a chitinous black beetle about the size of a Great Dane, with gleaming red pincers upon its mouth and a silver demon skull printed upon its wing case; for some reason, the monster reminded Yami of Baalzebub himself. (1000/500)

"I have no more moves, Pharaoh. Take yours…and walk ever further into death."

"Empty threats and nothing more, Baalzebub! My move!"

Yami drew once again, and it was with a smile of relief that he recognized the card he had drawn.

"Heh. I've learned by now, Baalzebub, not to trust the face down cards of my opponents, especially opponents like you, so instead of running blindly into your cards I will remove them from the picture! I will set one card, then summon Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode, and with his summoning I will activate the Continuous Trap card, Black Magic Stone! This joint activation, coupled with Breaker's ability, will render your face down cards useless!"

Once more did Yami's Breaker emerge from the card space, sword drawn at the ready and the Magic Counters on his armor glowing. But even as he stepped upon the field Yami could tell something had gone horribly wrong; Breaker's eyes, once glistening with determination and devotion, were now glazed with the possession of a force beyond his willpower, and without any fight at all he tramped slowly over to Baalzebub's side of the field.

"An interesting ploy, Pharaoh…but once again your arrogance has blinded you. Before you could activate your Breaker's effect…I activated an effect of my own, namely that of a trap card known as Fiendish Hold. When activated, it is equipped to any monster of yours I choose…though you are allowed to draw an extra card at each turn."

Taken aback by this, Yami filtered his eyes over his cards again; he had not expected this at all, but he could work with it. "No matter; I still have Gamma to attack your monster! Gamma the Magnet Warrior, attack his Scarab with Magnetic Field Stroke!"

The magnetic soldier, brought back into use after so long, leapt into the air and brought both of his spherical hands down upon his adversary, preparing to crush the vile insect under the weight of its own magnetism. But even as the attempt was made a second unexpected event occurred; within seconds of the attack a thick shroud of mist began to grip Gamma in its clutches, sapping away what spiritual power it had to start with.

It was only after watching the mist that Yami realized what it truly was: a swarm of sizeable insects akin to crickets, latched onto Gamma and draining him of strength.

"And again, Pharaoh…you have underestimated my ability. The trap you just ran into is known as Screaming Locusts…and can only be activated if I already have an Insect in play. It allows me to decrease your monster's overall attack points to drop to 0...though damage calculations still apply, and because you have declared your attack…no force in this world could stop its effect."

It was as Baalzebub finished that Yami revealed a knowing smirk upon his lips.

"Then I suppose I will need to seek elsewhere! I activate the Quick-Play Magic card, Mysticism of the Fates! This card can only be activated if it is the third Magic or Trap card utilized in this turn, and with it I can automatically negate any effect at the cost of a card in my hand."

But even as he was about to pay the cost, Yami could see that something had happened; Baalzebub's third face down card had just gone active.

"Magic Jammer. A simple but effective card…and with it I shall negate your Mysticism!"

With a flick of his wrist Baalzebub discarded the cost from his hand as Yami did the same, and with those actions his Magic's effect was disintegrated before his very eyes. Just as quickly did the same fate fall upon Gamma; within seconds, the giant scarab had burst into a swarm of thousands, and instantly the swarm coiled around Gamma, their vicious mandibles gnashing against Gamma's rock body and tearing it to pieces until the Magnet Warrior crumbled in a metallic scream of agony. (Yami: 3000/ Baalzebub: 4000)

"I am afraid that the damage does not end there. Whenever my Scarab destroys your monster…it will inflict an extra 300 life points of damage."

With that said, the scarabs shot out again, this time gnashing at Yami's own life points, tearing at his skin and causing pinpricks of pain to sear through his very soul before reforming into the beetle. (Yami: 2700/ Baalzebub: 4000)

Though the damage had been slight, it had taken much more out of Yami than he had anticipated, and soon enough he collapsed to the ground on one knee, his breath shortening. _This isn't good…he's negated my attacks and prevented my magic, at almost every turn, as if he was…_

"Ah, so you have managed to see through my strategy. I am impressed, Atem…most would have gone on to the end without figuring that out. I intend to bind the fate of this duel to my actions…dominate every move…counteract every attack…prevent every strike against me until I watch your mind shatter." Baalzebub's own breath, which had been short to begin with, was now becoming writhe with phlegm; obviously the effects of the Shadow Game were a lot harder on his spirit.

"From where I'm standing, you've done nothing but play out a costless Shadow Game, and given your condition, it seems that will be more detrimental to you than me. If that's the case, then why bother going through with the duel?"

Baalzebub said nothing for a moment, but soon a hideous sound could be heard emanating from his throat: a sick, twisted chuckle, choked in blood and spittle.

"I am glad you asked, Pharaoh. You see, I never had any intention of defeating you through Shadow Magic…no, I have neither the stamina or ability to do that. Instead, I decided that I will strike at you in a place that you cannot defend…the same place struck at so long ago."

"What?"

"I see no need to tell you much more…after all, that pathetic spirit from the Tombkeeper's mind…told you most of what there is to tell. But still, that place is weak, and subject to much torment."

Chains began to crank all around; a mechanism hidden by the shadows was being activated, and Yami recognized the noise as that of the machine he had heard earlier.

"I will smash you to pieces, Atem…and assure that you pay for your arrogance. For you see, I will allow Hiei the destruction of your body…"

The shadows above parted, revealing a black platform with chains attached to its side. It too was wreathed in darkness, but a vaguely human figure could be seen within its limits. As soon as it reached a certain point in the air, however, the darkness shattered as if glass…

…to reveal a human girl, bound to the platform by thick, heavy shackles and black chains. A human girl that Yami knew all too well, and upon seeing her, thick, horrified tears flowed from his now shattered amethyst eyes.

"Kagome…"

"…for all I desire…is the destruction of your heart."

To Be Continued

Yes, another short chapter, but I have a good reason this time. See, something kinda bad has happened to me of late, and with that I cannot say that I was too willing to write more than one duel for this thing at the moment. But worry not; get over it I shall and then I'll give the people what they want. (Course, one of my reviewers has gotten what he wants already, so that works out.

Cya next chapter!


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